Witnessing Moon
by Cessy
Summary: (Vampires, Alternate Universe) Duo Maxwell was always known to be a Shinigami, but did the other ever even though that he could be a vampire? When an old enemy from Duo's past resurfaces, what will Duo do? Will the other pilots believe him? Or will fear
1. Prologue

WM

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Prologue**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  
I stood on the windowsill of my room, the wind blew into the loose strand of brown hair that had freed themselves from the braid that laid on my shoulder. It was late, I hadn't checked the time but I knew that it must have been a little after two in the morning. It didn't bother me, of course it didn't, I loved the night, the feel of the moon and stars washing away all worries, the cool air brushing against my face.

Far away, I could see people from the near by village pass in front of the gates of the Winner's Estate, where I was currently living. One by one they passed, sometimes a couple would walk hand in hand. I envied them so much. And with such envy always came the ever-present thirst...

My hands were so white at the moment, I could almost see the bones. Yet I had to wait, if another would be to see me do such an act, they would surely run away, screaming bloody hell along with my secret.

Yes, I was a vampire. I, Duo Maxwell, or Shinigami as they have called me over the years. For centuries I have lived, or maybe I should call it living-death. I'm two hundred years old, from the time I was born to darkness, but I look as if I were only an average seventeen year-old boy. I have blue eyes that might sometimes appear bright purple, my hair is long and brown in which I usually make into a braid, and my skin can sometimes be as white as newly fallen snow, but I try to keep it as creamy color so I don't bring any suspicion to myself.

I leapt down the two-story building and began to sneak closer to the bars. My pace was much faster than what a ordinary ninja could do, and still I made no sound. I wore a black shirt and tight lather pants, I did this both because my victims would no be able to see me and because I had a huge fascination with black. Oh, even if I wore white, I could move so fast they would only see a blur.

Now, as a vampire, one could only think of the many legends that have descended from the old world. Indeed I did drink blood, and I did have fangs, but that was about it. I could not turn into a bat or fly, a person could not scare me away with a cross of the bible, only moronic fables. And the sun, that was maybe the funniest thing I've seen yet. The light of the sun couldn't hurt me now, but it had when I was newly-born, I can walk in the noon sun like any other mortal. Stakes also were powerless, because my body would regenerate after it would have been pulled out of my body. So in short, killing me was almost impossible. Even now I have never seen another vampire be killed.

Then again, I have never seen another vampire.

From the bushes I saw an old man pass by, his hands stinking with money. I hated such people, those of thought money was the only thing that helped turn the world around. I sighed, when will mortals learn that it is with feelings that we live? No matter, the man wouldn't live long enough to tell anyone else about it.

It was about a mile from the estate, and I was on the outskirts of the nearby town. It was here where I usually came to hunt. But sooner or later I would need to change, lest I wish the police to get involved. A good sign was that no one else was around, except for those sleeping in the nearby houses.

The man moved sluggishly, and he dropped a few cents on the ground he was so drunk. A little plump, and his bald head shone off the streetlights. He was rather disgusting. He approached me little by little, and when he was but a few feet away, I lunged myself at him.

His eyes didn't even have any time to widen, I was already on him, one hand on his back and the other covering his mouth. He screamed silently, and my eyes slowly scanned his body for a moment. His short hands waved back and forth to defend himself, if only he knew how strong I really was! My head lowered to his face, as I silently whispered "Be grateful, you are about to be killed by Shinigami."

A smile appeared on my face as his eyes bulged out of their sockets, metaphorically speaking. I turned his head so that his neck lay revealed to me. Slowly my head lowered, and my mouth opened so I could sink my fangs into his trembling flesh.

Blood, it is my life. It's almost impossible to describe the feeling, when my teeth sink into arteries and when the blood flows into my mouth as I suck harder and harder. Your fingers tingle, and you can feel the energy gushing into your once lifeless body. But it's so much more than that!

The man's body began to go limp into my arms, but my grasp didn't lessen. And soon enough he stopped breathing and his heart stopped. I let go of his body so that it dropped soundlessly on the ground. My mouth spilled a few drops of blood before I could wipe it away.

My body took less than a couple of seconds to take in the blood and make it course throughout my body with energy. Now I felt good. But I also had to do the most bothersome part of feeding; hiding the body.

It didn't take too long, I simply hauled him in the ditch and dug a hole with my bare fingers, and then threw the body in. The whole process took me three minutes. But still, even with stomach full, I was still thirsty...

Too bad. I would need to wait until tomorrow night. For now, I should be more preoccupied with the other pilots. What to do if they were to enter my bedroom and to find it empty.

But as I ran away from the scene, there was a presence... I couldn't pinpoint it, but I knew it was there...   
  
  


* * * 

  


**Author's note: **Well, this fanfic is originally based on another original story I started working on a couple of months ago. But... since I didn't feel like posting anything original at FF.net, I guessed I should make a fanfic out of it. This was only a prologue, but I have a lot of other chapters to go. Anyways, please review! 


	2. Stiff Laugh

WM1

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 1**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  


I took my time walking back to the estate, it wasn't like I was in a hurry. I had decided to walk through the woods, the woods were always beautiful at night. The wind would be light, but just enough to bring the fresh smell of pine and flowers, the moonlight would streak through the foliage, bringing forth a cool wash of light, and the flowers, they would be so beautiful with that glimmer. Yes, I enjoyed walking in the nighttime forest as much as I did then...

The estate wasn't that far, I could already see the rooftops springing from even the tallest trees. On the second floor I saw a light, damn, I had forgotten to turn the lamp off in my room. Yeah, even the oldest vampire could forget things.

As soon as I was under the window, I looked up and with simplicity, I jumped to my room, landing inside the shaded room with almost no sound. Easy as that, and no one knew I had even left my room. It was almost funny, too.

A sound reached my ears as I brushed off a few cherry blossom petals out of my hair, footsteps. The only person who would be up at this late hour would be Heero, always typing away on his computer. But these footsteps were lighter, and they seemed to be dragged on the floor, as if the person would be still half asleep. Of course, I knew who it was. It had been the same thing for a week now.

I didn't expect a knock though, as the footsteps passed my door. I called back for the person to enter as I sat down on the bed, bringing my knees to my chin. The door opened slowly, and there in between the crack of the door and frame Quatre's head popped out.

"What are you doing still up, Duo?" He asked sleepily. His eyes were a bit rimmed with fatigue, and his hair was all messed up in a tangle of blondness. He opened the door wider and entered while his hand stayed on the doorhandle.

"Nothing, Quatre! I think I had too much coffee or something before I went to bed, that's all!" I grinned and passed a hand through my messed up hair. "What are you still doing up? You didn't have any sugar before going to bed!"

Of course I knew. And I also knew what he was going to tell me was a lie.

He smiled weakly and leaned against the door. "I just couldn't sleep. Don't worry Duo, I don't think anyone would be crazy enough to have sugar before going to bed, it's only you." One last time he smiled weakly and turned back to the door. "Well, sorry to have bothered you, be sure to get some sleep, okay? Goodnight."

"You too! Goodnight!" I waved my hand back and forth as the door closed. I didn't actually have any sugar, I couldn't even eat it! Nothing could beat down warm blood. It was only a little act that I had begun to play as I joined them. But it made me remember so much how I was when I had been mortal...

Those times had long ago passed. It was time to forget.

Forget... why did the word mean so little, yet so much at the same time?

* * * 

  
"Good morning everyone!" I added an extra bounce to my steps as I entered the living room, where the other four pilots were. Trowa and Quatre were on the couch, Quatre leaned on Trowa's arm while both of them were reading something, probably information or something like that. Wufei too was reading something, sitting cross-legged on the floor close to the gigantic window. And on the other side of the room, as if I would have never guessed, Heero was in front of his laptop, typing almost as fast as me.

Really, sometimes even I didn't understand that boy.

"Ohayo Duo" Quatre looked up from the page he was reading and smiled. Trowa and Wufei nodded while Heero just continued to type. As crazy as this may sound, Heero does have emotions, I can feel them once in a while, but they're hidden to deeply, sometimes I worry.

Oh! These old mortals emotions could drive one mad! In another couple of years, I would leave them, so what was the point of getting attached to them and their crazy emotions? This 'life', as like the others, would not last more than ten years. That's how I lived now. Every ten years going to another country and making what some may call friends. Yet I didn't want to leave this one...

"Duo?" Trowa looked at me blankly, lifting an eyebrow.

I had been dreaming again! It happened sometimes, that I would go off into long moments of silence, talking to myself. But last time it was so obvious as standing in the middle of the room looking at the naked wall. I shrugged and waved my hand. "Nah! I was just spacing out! I should have slept more last night, I guess!"

"That's why you shouldn't bring the whole bag of smarties in your room. Not like you ate them all." Wufei mumbled, not even bothering to turn around to face me.

"I didn't! I swear!"

"I'm certain you didn't. And Heero has never hacked into government files."

"Hn."

All except Heero muffled a short laugh. Maybe this was the reason I was so close to them...

* * * 

  


**Author's note:** Nothing much in this chapter. Only to show how Duo acts around the other pilots. I'll post the third chapter soon, since I already wrote half of it. Anyways, I also wanted to ask you guys if you'd have Duo's past (as in how he got transformed) in detail or just fast paced. I don't know which one to write! Oh well, don't forget to review! 


	3. Puppet Child

WM2

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 2**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  
It was only the afternoon, and already I felt the thirst growing inside of me. It was always there, really. It bothered me that, lately, it had been getting a little out of hand. Not so long ago I could go along a week with only one kill, but now I had to kill almost every night to satisfy myself, for a while.

Now there was no way I could describe how it felt to drink up the blood of another, but the thirst I could do. Depending on how long a vampire has drunk, its body will slowly begin to decompose. It would be like something deep inside your stomach trying to get out, and eating piece by piece your body. Your skin would turn as white as pure snow and would shrink down the bones, the eyes would appear like large black orbs with the irises like a cat's, and the fangs would appear longer. It was pure horror.

Of course, it had only happened once. But the circumstances were different.

Time to forget that, all of it. I stopped near a pillar, where the garden began not far after. Sometimes when I looked at the flowers, especially the red roses, I would hallucinate that a body would the sprawled deep inside the shrub, dead. But my imagination was far too wide. Even for myself.

Someone long ago had said the very same thing.

My eyes closed and I walked forward so that I was leaning against the large marble pillar. The sun warmed my cold hands, my bare arms, my face. It was all so beautiful, and yet my eyes were still closed. But the beauty of life itself, the essence in which I am able to live among mortals, and yet I myself am immortal. In reality, I should have been dead ages ago, but I'm still walking.

The fact that I shouldn't be changing anything in the mortal world frightened me.

Now, I am probably boring you. Me and my big words! In truth, I have always thought mortals to be stupid and utterly hopeless. My views were changed when I met these pilots. There was something in them that had attached me so closely to the young ones, and in silence I had so much love for all of them.

I laughed at them and I loved them. How strange this must sound.

Even thinking of it, I grinned to myself, snickering. And finally I burst out with laughter, my shoulders shacking against the cold marble. But it was so hilarious to think of it! To think, they are like lab mice for scientists, and yet the scientists are the ones who loathe the mice for what they are.

I stopped suddenly. Someone was coming my way. I straitened myself and arranged the sleeveless shirt I had been wearing before, like any mortal would do. Or maybe it was only me, who thought these things. No matter.   
  
Footsteps growing louder, but with agility. The pace was not slow nor fast, just as normal as normal. And with footsteps came a smell, like lavender shampoo. I could already make an image of him in my mind. His dark brown hair flying on his face, his eyes monotone.

He walked silently until he was on the other side of the pillar, then, to my surprise, he leaned against the marble pillar. He sighed deeply and didn't say a word.

"Heero." I said, in almost a whisper. I would have enjoyed staying there though, the sun in my face, and he behind me, thinking, like I would be doing. But I really didn't know why I said his name.

"We have another mission." His voice was without emotion, but what else was different? There was something that bothered me in him, his voice especially, it sounded to hurt. It was maybe the fact that peace was supposed to have stayed, and yet we still had missions once in a while. Nothing more than small organizations trying to provoke the people, we didn't even need our Gundams.

But why did Heero sound so hurt? There was something else on his mind.

"And...?" I knew it wasn't right to push him, but I was curious. Curiosity killed the cat, fortunately, I wasn't a cat. I was much more than that, and yet I felt as nothing more sometimes. Dammit, I'm confusing myself again.

"It's the HAZE organization again. Word is that they have planned to attack a nearby town in two weeks from now. Not only that, but they will be disguising themselves in OZ uniforms, therefore thinking of creating yet another war." He stopped for a second, then hit his hand hard against the marble. "Dammit! What's the point of creating another war? Why must people create sorrow and death? Is it to please their own pleasure?"

I listened to him, and I felt sorry for him. Here was a boy who grew up to be a perfect soldier, but that was all he was good at. He was only now beginning to know how it felt, to feel real anger, and to speak more and more about his feelings. How horrifying, to be born in the body of a fifteen year old, when you have the feelings of a three year old. Horrifying yet beautiful.

"Heero, humans have a certain nature. War is in that nature, and those who have evolved from that know what war really is, while the others think of it as a way of life. To be the All Powerful, it's nothing more than a dream, a reality that will never come into ours."

I knew this because I had met a person just like that, a long time ago...

He turned his head around and looked at me, but I continued looking in front.

"Duo..."

I turned my head in turn and looked back at him, I grinned at put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't think of it much Heero, so when will we go into action?"

For a second he looked hurt, but his eyes quickly looked back towards the hallway as he began to walk away. "We will be disguising ourselves as HAZE soldiers, and we'll be there for about a week at most. We will stop this event at all costs."

A week? At most? No! I could handle a one day mission, even a two day. But how would I be able to last a week without showing my true self? "Heero! Wait!"

"What?"

"A week? Couldn't we just attack them all in one night? Or warn the town? Why must we join HAZE when we could destroy them as easily as we did with the others?" I was walking towards him, my arms outstretched and my mouth wide open.   
  
"Duo, it's much easier to just go along with the plan. The others have agreed on it. And don't forget, Mobile Suits no longer exist." He had a pained expression on his face when he said it. Heh, maybe he was breaking finally.

I decided not to say anymore. Hey, I was more than a hundred years old, I could easily fool them. Covering up my 'tracks' shouldn't be as hard to do. People die everywhere now.

And yet my very own ignorance killed a part of my soul.

* * *    
**Author's note:** Erm, I don't like this chapter very much, probably because the ending wasn't detailed enough, oh well. There will be one more chapter before I start writing on how Duo became a vampire, and I'll mush it up in one big chapter. Um, yeah, that's about it. Please leave some feedback telling me you like this story! I'm beginning to really get into it too! Well, that's all. Don't forget to review! 


	4. Midnight Ruffle

WM3

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 3**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  
I walked down the hallways of the HAZE building with Heero to my right. We were dressed in soldier uniforms already, it wasn't really hard. HAZE are desperate for more soldiers, and they'll do anything to augment their number, which shows how ignorant a newly-founded organization can be.

We passed their physical test as if it were nothing more than jumping rope. Of course, all four of us, Wufei was staying behind if we needed outside help, were welcome with wide arms. They seemed extremely happy to have such good soldiers among their ranks.

But something bothered me still. Maybe it was the uniform, who knows. I was now wearing the HAZE's soldier uniform, which consisted of a navy coat with a lighter blue t-shirt underneath, navy pants and black boots. My hair was as it always had been, thank God. I don't think I could do anything else without my braid.

Dammit, I sound like a mortal.

Heero and I walked in the same pace, trying to not bring any attention to ourselves. We had just been assigned to our rooms, which ended up being the same as Trowa's and Quatre's, fancy that. The building was somewhat creepy, with its blank walls everywhere you looked, the white floors, the white doors. It almost looked like a hospital.

Unfortunately, when we finally reached our dorm, it ended up being white, as everything else. I sighed, the room had four beds with white sheets, and two white dressers. It seemed that a camera had been placed in each room, and Trowa informed Heero that he was able to 'repair' it.

"It's weird to be like this, don't you think?" Quatre started unbuttoning his coat. "It's a miracle we were able to be administered so fast, I would have guessed it would have taken atleast two or three days."

Heero looked at him and nodded. "HAZE is a new organization, it wasn't even formed during the time of OZ or Rommafeller. They want disaster to happen, but they themselves are sloppy. They haven't even taken the liberty of checking each of our backgrounds."

"True." Trowa answered.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to bed!" I exclaimed. I was getting a bit bored listening to them. More to that, it was close to midnight, and the curfew was to be a midnight. But that wasn't why I really wanted them to go to sleep.

I had other plans.

I was pleased to see the others agree with me.

* * * 

It took a long while before everyone was asleep. Way past curfew, I was already dressed in a simple black shirt and pants. I made certain not to wake anyone as I got out of my bed, which was near the door, and Quatre was in the bed besides me, gently rustling in his bed sheets.

I had to remember that sneaking out wouldn't be easy, with Heero and Trowa in the room, who were both pretty alert, even in sleep. My footsteps were light, as they always were. To anyone else it would have seemed I would be walking in air, but it would be a mere illusion to the mortal eye.

I walked to the door and opened it, not even one of them flinched, if they would have, I would have felt it. Finally, I was outside the room. It was quiet, even when I guessed that some soldier would be still up. The only other mortals awake were the guards that watched over the dorms.

One of them was nearby, I could pick up his scent from where I was. I walked closer, like a cat, not making any sound as I padded across the hallway.

  
When I finally caught the soldier in my view, I immediately began to feel the thirst rushing. He was still in uniform, but his eyes were closed and he was falling asleep, even though he was still standing, how pathetic.

I sighed silently and crept closer and closer, until I was directly in front of him. He didn't even notice! He just stayed there, eyes completely closed and an annoying sound coming from his nose. Heero was feeling threatened by this organization? What a joke.

My hand grabbed his neck, hard. His eyes immediately opened, horror-stricken brown eyes looking into murderous violet eyes. He tried hard to grab my arm and make me loose my grip, but of course he couldn't.

"Maybe we should have been more alert." I whispered in his ear, then I opened my mouth to reveal my fangs, and he let loose a pathetic squeaking noise. I brought him down and bit into his neck. The blood began oozing into my mouth as I sucked harder, my hand squeezing the neck so hard I though it would brake.

Blood, sweet blood. Would my thirst be like this every night? I'm beginning to think I would need more and more victims if I continue like this, and of course, it had to be at a time where I would need to hide it more.

I was still dreaming when I noticed that the body was sucked dry. Completely. I was now holding a mummified soldier in my arms, nothing more than bones and flesh. And yet with the thirst still thriving in me, I though of eating the remaining flesh.

My thoughts were in turmoil. It was time to rest.

* * * 

The next morning I was awakened by a loud noise coming from the hallways, it sounded like wailing and screaming, almost. But what really did awake me, was the fear the flowed in the air. Heero and Trowa were sitting up in their beds, looking at the door, and Quatre lifted his head not long after.

"Something's wrong..." Heero muttered. We all looked at each other, and knew that we had to go look.

All four of us quickly got changed into our uniforms and went out to look what was rustling about. A group of soldiers, some dressed in uniform, some still in plain t-shirt and pants were gathered at the end of the hall.

Where I had killed that soldier.

But I had taken care of the body, there was no way it could have resurfaced. And yet when I began to walk closer I could smell the decaying flesh. I pushed alongside the horrified soldiers and made my way towards the front.

What I saw left me speechless.

Even with my vampire nature, it disgusts me to see a body so heavily dismembered, unless I'm the one dismembering. The soldier's head was against the wall, three feet from where the body lay. The skull had been bashed open, and brains leaked through the shattered bones, the eyes had been pulled out of their sockets and the tongue as well. The body was almost as bad, the stomach had been opened and intestines spilled on the floor.

Behind me, I heard several men throw up. And that was what I wanted to do as well.

* * * **Author's note:** Two crappy chapters in a row, I'm on a roll here! Actually, I didn't want to put most of the stuff in this chapter, but it would be nice to have some explanations. Anyways... Duo seemed more OCC for this part, I think atleast. Oh well, I'll make it up with Duo's past! Which is coming very soon! 


	5. Secrets long past

WM4

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 4**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

Quatre pulled me away from the scene and brought me where Trowa and Heero were standing, behind the crowd. Heero seemed undisturbed, Trowa with a look of worry, and Quatre seemed lost in though. I myself was quite disturbed with the scene. Every now and then someone would throw up and I heard the distinct sound of sobs coming from probable friends.

"Something isn't right here. It looks like were not the only ones here for other means." Heero looked around, then leaned against the wall behind him, folding his arms. "We need to be careful, people are going to get more suspicious, and we only arrived yesterday, and now this happens."

"Maybe it happened before." Trowa added, sneaking a glance at the scene. "Although I highly doubt it. I'll check it out on the laptop later."

Quatre looked at the floor. "This is horrible! Who could do something like this? It doesn't even seem human to do such a thing..." He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "I know he's a HAZE soldier and all, but..."

"Shh, Quatre, keep your voice down." Heero whispered back.

I felt uncomfortable being there, the stench of death I was used to, but seeing such a mauled body disturbed me, brought back memories of times long past. But not only that, I was the one who killed the man. Hadn't I payed attention afterwards?

And still, it wasn't me.

Heero looked further into the hall where a group of men dressed in white clothes approached the body and they, too, had a looked of pure disgustingness in their faces. I also turned around completely to get a better look of things. There were five men in all, one of them bent down and looked at the severed head. He rose again, and yelled across the room: "Does anyone know this soldier's name? Speak, now!"

Two men who seemed to have been sobbing, came up to him, and held a hand of his breast as he spoke. The other looked down at the head, and tears appeared on the rim of his bloodshot eyes. "Sir, he was our brother... Matthias Harlequois."

"What rank was he in?" the other man asked, not feeling any emotion for the others' loss.

"Second class...."

"That'll be all. Everyone, go back to your rooms! Training will be canceled for everyone but the First class. No one touches the body without our consent. Now, go!"

I turned back to the others as they looked at the man with scanning eyes. Heero sighed. "We better go to our room, we'll talk there."

* * * 

"This doesn't make any sense." Trowa closed the desktop and looked back at us. I was sitting on Heero's bed with him beside me, and Trowa and Quatre where sitting in front of us. "Wufei sent an e-mail saying that HAZE would not let anyone in or out of the building, never mind the premises."

"Why would they do that? It was only one murder." Quatre added.

"Did you find out anything on that Matthias Harlequois?" Heero asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, he's been a soldier in HAZE for two years, second class, two brothers, single, no children, normal schooling, etc." Trowa placed the laptop under his pillow. "But what are we going to do now?"

"We should stay low, and wait until something breaks."

We all nodded. Little did they know that I had something to do with it. I had to be extremely careful. To do so, it meant that I would not go on my midnight hunting anymore, atleast not until this thing dies out. Which I hope would be very soon...

* * * 

That night, while everyone else slept, I couldn't even close my eyes. My mouth, throat and stomach burned as if on fire. But I knew what the reason was. I could almost smell the flesh that lay in the bed beside mine, and in a sadistic thought, I saw him and I, Quatre and myself, in a tight embrace, blood spilling from the neck I was drinking from.

Blood, such dark tainted blood.

I gasped at the though, it sounded so unlike me. And yet like me with that.

Each breath they took, each little movement they made, be it moving their arms, twitching a finger, or turning their heads, each movement was made out blood. Blood coursing throughout the body and into the heart, that pulsating organ in which my life depended on it.

Someone long ago had given me the same 'lesson'. I hated him for that.

But in many ways, hate was love, and love was fear. What I feared I could love, what I wanted to feel. Yet everything I felt, everything I ever trusted in, had turned into fear, and not into love. Love and shall be loved, unfortunately, it never turned out that way for me.

* * * 

"Duo!... Duo?" Someone was shaking me. It had been two days since that night. They still had not let us out of our rooms, and I felt so weak at the moment.

"Heero, come here, something's wrong!" It was Quatre, I opened my eyes weakly, seeing a worried mask on his face, his eyes in pain. Heero jumped out of his bed and grunted, then gave me a glance and ran to the bed.

"He's white as snow... and feels so cold..." Quatre whispered, Trowa came over his shoulder, giving yet another worried glance in my direction.

Heero tired to take my pulse, but I pulled away, groaning.

"Duo, let me check you health!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. I was so weak, much faster than normally. There was something about this place, this building...

Warm fingers pressed against my neck and I groaned again. A dead thing didn't have a pulse.

"No..." Heero whispered, again pressing his fingers on my cold skin. I pulled the bed sheet over my head and turned away, mumbling a low "Go away."

"What's wrong, Heero?" Trowa asked reluctantly.

"He... doesn't... have... a pulse." Heero sat beside me and looked at me through the blanket.

"What?!"

They continued talking, but I stopped listening. I wanted to stop altogether. I closed my eyes and I stopped breathing. I didn't need oxygen to survive, only blood. The facade was over. I was over. All I felt like doing was the sink into emptiness, let the others chose my path.

My first and real friends, and I _let_ them see me like this.

"Duo, wake up!" Quatre took hold of my shoulders and began shaking me.

"Quatre... let go of me..." I whispered. He didn't let go, but he stopped shaking me.

"Duo... will you tell us what's going on?" Heero asked, pulling away the blanket, I shivered, I was only wearing a black tanktop and pants. But it wasn't only because of what I was wearing, it was because I needed something, something that I could only kill to acquire.

Suddenly, a knock came from the door, I slumped back into Quatre's arms as Heero grunted and answered it. A tall and thin soldier with medium dark brown hair entered the room. He was probably a first class, two or three small medals clinging onto his uniform.

"Occupants of room 412. Heero Yuy, Quatre Raberba Winner, Trowa Barton... and Duo Maxwell?" He asked in a somewhat annoyed tone. He began walking into the room, and Heero was about to protest, but stepped aside anyway.

"You are to again stay in... what?" He saw me and gasped, almost. He walked to the bed and got on his knees beside it. "What is going on here?"

"Sir, we don't know..." Quatre replied. "He was like this when I woke up this morning..."

"He needs medical attention-"

"No!" I yelled, not very loudly, but enough to make the soldier jump. "Heero... close the door..." I had not other choice. I had to do this. As soon as Heero closed the door, I whispered softly. "Please forgive me, but this... this is why I am what I am..."

With that, I tossed Quatre back into Trowa's arms as they fell backwards into the other bed, and I grabbed the soldier by the head and brought him to my lap.

"I'm sorry..."

"Duo!?"

I plunged my fangs into his neck, and I immediately felt the warm sensation of blood pulsating into my mouth. Like the last time, I began sucking harder and harder, not a speck of blood spilled from the neck, and I wanted it so to last forever. To never need to see the faces of those whom I loved.

I knew they looked at me in pure horror, I heard Quatre gasp, and Heero and Trowa were both shocked, they didn't even move.

Finally, there was no more blood left. I had regained most of my strength, I felt my fingers warm up again the cold flesh of the once alive body.

I lifted my head slowly. Streams of blood ran down my mouth. "Did you once think I was human?" I whispered to low I didn't know if the others had heard me. "Did you think I was human!"

"Nani?!" Heero asked, the shocked expression hadn't left his face. "What are you?" For the first time, I think Heero was afraid, his body and voice trembled.

"Duo..." Quatre began to talk and I turned towards him. This time he looked at me with sadness, and I returned the face, I felt so sorry for what I had done. It was as if I had been mentally compelled to do so.

The body fell on the floor and I brought my hands to my head. I think I muttered a few words, and the others only walked closer, until each one was facing me, one on each side of the bed. I began shaking, my body trembling as I felt the urge to cry, but I did. Blood tears spilled from my cheek to the white sheets.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I repeated over and over again in a whisper.

"Duo... why hadn't you told us this before? What did you think we would do?" Quatre's finger brushed against my cheek and wiped one of my blood tears away. He was so understanding.

"I... I've lived for so long this way... I didn't think you'd accept me, I didn't think you'd love me as if I were mortal. Don't you understand? No one can understand me. No one has ever tried, and I've never given the chance for anyone, but now..."

I paused. "Dammit! Why must I brake down now?!"

Quatre sighed, sadness in everything he did. "Duo, tell us, tell us how it happened, what happened, everything. How can we understand you without knowing... what you are..."

I trembled. Trowa looked at me with sadness like Quatre, and Heero too had the same expression. I hated to see them this way. I despised to make others sad. And I made so many people sad, friends that I've known and left.

And yet, I began to talk.   


* * * **Author's note:** Oh my Gawd, yes, a chapter longer than 9kb! Well, erm, this chapter could have used a bit more in it, but I wanted to go strait to the point. NOW I can start writing Duo's past. I'll probably go with fast details, only explain important situations. Oh well, please review! (Reviews are what keeps us writers writing, ne? hm...) 


	6. He with hair like fire...

WM5a

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 5: part 1**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  
"To begin with anything simple... I was born in the old world, in the year 1985. I was only four when it happened though, so I don't remember much of my parents before they got the illness. It killed them only two months afterwards. Now I was on my own, no house, no family, nothing. I lived on the streets for about another three years, stealing whatever I needed to wear and eat from the merchants on the streets.

I only noticed it one day, I think I was seven at the time. The humongous building in which everyone seemed to flood every Sunday, which also explained why most merchants were closed on that day. It was the first time I had ventured into what most kids called 'the rich part of town'. Most kids stayed away from there, since the people tended to be stricter.

Of course, when had I ever listened to anyone? It was on a Sunday morning that I decided to go see. At the sight of it, I fell in love. The towering walls, the marble statues glistening in the sun's morning rays, how the statue angel's wings seemed so real, as if they were made with real feathers, the tinted windows telling the tale of the Mighty One. Everything from that church spoke to me, it radiated of love, and I loved it back.

I think I stood there for an hour, because when I came back to reality, I noticed that most people were walking away, or driving away in their posh coaches pulled away by stunning white horses on the cemented streets. And all I did was stand there, in the middle of the streets, always looking upwards now and then to see the golden enormous cross which stood on top of one of the high towers.

Quite suddenly, I felt a somewhat large and strong hand grab me by the shoulder. I jumped and pulled myself away, thinking it would be another one of those slave sellers. But all it was was an elderly man, probably in his sixties. He had a kind smile, and I wasn't quite afraid. He wore almost all black, except for a small white collar. He extended his hand and smiled again.   
  
"Are you lost, child?" he asked.

I didn't want to say anything at first. Yet something in his smile made me feel warm all over.

"I've been lost for too long, sir..." I looked down at the pavement, my bare feet tracing the contour of the tiles on the street while my hands tangled in my hair, which was around waist-long, and my dirty shirt.

"What's your name?" he again placed a hand on my shoulder, I shrugged, but he kept a firm hold, not out of force, but out of care.

"My name is Duo, atleast that's what I like to be called. What's yours?' I asked.

"Well, my name's reverend Dubois. I'm a pastor at the church there." he pointed a finger towards the church. It amazed me in a way, because I thought that he was the one who lived in it. Of course, I was only a foolish child at the time.   
  
He looked back at me and asked if I had someplace to go. I lowered my head and quietly answered that I had been living on the streets for a long time now. A flash of sadness crossed his face, but then he smiled kindly and lifted my chin up with his hand.

"Would you like to come stay at the church? I'm certain that the nuns here at the Maxwell church would be more than happy to take care of you. One with such interest in God's house."

  
I didn't think for more than a second, I yelled "Yes!" and took the man's hand and let him lead the way to the church. He opened the large white and gold-painted doors, and then I gasped.

* * * 

For eight years I stayed at that church. The nuns taught me how to read, write, they also taught me the story of God, and I knew for certain the Bible by heart. Those people taught me so many things, but what I held close to my heart was what they had taught me about good and evil, but in truth, it was not that I understood it, it was simply that I became obsessed with it. Learning more and more.

Little by little, I found myself slipping away from them, burying myself in books which talked of apocalypse and darkness. It was strange, I was in my own little world, but then I met him, and everything changed. For better or for worse, it matters not what it is.

* * * 

I was now fifteen years old. Once in a while I would help out with the pastor and the sisters, preparing the altar and such things. One day, the reverend asked me to hold some of the candles while he went behind to find something. It was a pretty small request, but I stayed and waited.

In another twenty minutes or so the mass would start, and people were already beginning to enter and finding their boxes as they sat and began to pray. I was still standing there, though, my head down as I held the burning candle in front of me.

But then someone entered the church, and I couldn't keep my eyes off that someone.

He walked behind a woman, probably his mother. She was about the same height as me, and the boy seemed only a little taller. Both of them seemed from the rich part of town, the woman dressed in a light green dress with a feather hat, her hair was long and brown, and it poured down from her shoulders down to her back. Both of them sat in a box pretty near from where I was standing.

He had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen, they seemed to full of life, as if he were trapped there. He kept looking down, fire red hair cascading down his forehead. He wore a crimson red suede coat, a white shirt and foulard underneath, tight black pants and suede boots that wore up to his knees. He looked so amazingly exquisite, and yet so innocent, and so unpredictable.

One of the nuns came from behind me and crouched so that she could face me. She took hold of the candle and looked back at where the boy was sitting. "He's new in town. That's his mother. I think his name was Sachichiru." She then smiled and patted my shoulder. "Now run along, I'll wait for the reverend to come back."

I smiled back at her and walked towards the back of the church, but not before giving the boy, Sachichiru, one last glance. He didn't moved his head, he only kept looking in front with a bored look on the face. I smiled, then waited until the mass would be over.

Surely enough, when it was over, I was standing just outside the main door. I was waiting, for him. A huge crowd of people scurried out of the church, most of them were rich, wearing their three-piece suits and elegantly tailored gowns. I saw the boy's mother pass, she was one of the last ones. She didn't seem to look back, as if her son was no bother.

I kept looking at her while she slowly walked away, and then entered the carriage. Now I was confused. I leaned against the door, sunlight blinding me momentarily. The carriage left, but without her son? He must still be in the church.

I turned around, ready to go back into the church, but quite suddenly, someone jumped from the door! I jumped back into the door, clenching my chest.

"What on Earth?" I gasped.

Then my eyes focused again, and I saw him. He had the cutest smile on his face when he looked at me, both of his hands behind his back, and his body bowed towards me. How beautiful, I stared at him, at his every feature. He was so elegant, his red hair falling forwards while his crystal-like blue eyes looked upwards, towards me.

"Good morning, good sir." He said. His voice was calm, full of amusement.

I was still a bit confused, why was he bowing to me? Was he mocking me? But, oh, he was too beautiful to judge him that way. I liked him, I really did. I also bowed, imitating him. I didn't really know why I did it. I had always been known to be somewhat shy.

"And a good morning to you too, young man." I replied.

We both got up at the same instant. I smiled at him, and he grinned back. His hand swiped a layer of hair away from his face. "And what shall we call the good sir?"

"What?"

He laughed, so cute even. He seemed so calm. "What's your name."

"Oh!" I laughed pathetically and waved a hand behind my head. "My name's Duo Maxwell."

"After the church?" He asked, plunging his hands into the pockets of his coat.

"Yes, I was an orphan and all..." I stopped, then looking up again, I asked "What's your name?"

"Mine? Oh, it's not of such importance! But if you absolutely must..." He held out his hand. "My name would be Sachichiru Richelieu le sixième. But just call me Sachi, I hate it when people call me by my full name."

"Good to meet you, Sachi!" I grabbed his hand a shook it. His grasp was strong, and his skin felt like silk against mine. I never wanted to let go, and I felt myself grimacing when he let it go.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Maxwell." He leaned against the wall, one leg against the rock, while the other supported his body. I found myself urging, I wanted so much to feel his hair between my fingers, my lips touching his.   
  
I quickly chased away the thoughts when I saw that Sachi was looking at me strangely, another huge grin plastered on his face. "Struggling with something?" He asked mockingly. He sighed and got up again, starting to walk down the steps.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I waved my hand and ran to the halfway point of the stairs, while he was a the bottom. I didn't want him to leave yet. I sure hope I didn't bother him, or made him go away, I wanted to know him better, so much better.   
  
"I'm going home! How about we go out tonight? I'll come get you around eight! You better be ready if you want to have some fun!" He called back, waving his hand too.

I knew that it was against the nun's rules, but I wanted to go so much. How long had it been since I had felt this way? Never? "I'll be ready!"

**End of part 1**


	7. Dancing the night away...

WM5-2

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 5: Part 2**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  


"That night, I was in my room, alone. It wasn't really my room, it only included a bed and a closet full of clothes. I didn't have many possessions because, well, I did live in monastery. Although I did have something saved for special occasions. Reverend Dubois had bought it for me for my 15th birthday.

It was a black coat of velvet with crimson cuffs at the end, the shirt I wore underneath was dark red shirt with a white scarf. I decided to put on some black pants with leather boots. It was only seven o' clock when I was finished dressing myself. My hair was pulled into a braid, I had started liking making braids, it was much easier.

I felt butterflies in my stomach, I was so nervous! It really did not help that I was not allowed to go outside after dark, but since when had I followed the rules? As much as I loved reverend Dubois and the sisters, I felt possessed to do this. As un-explicable as it may seem.

The clock moved so slowly, each hand moving only a few inches every second. After a while I got up and paced around the room, muttering to myself that everything would be fine. But what if I didn't look right for him? What if he though of me as a commoner?

Finally the clock showed that it was five minutes before eight. I picked up a couple of dollar bills from a box near my dresser and I shoved it in my pocket. Before I left my room, I took my cross necklace with me. It had become such an important item for me, and I didn't really know why. It was a cross made of silver, in the middle there was a amethyst gem encircled with smaller blue gems. I quickly put it around my neck and ran out of the door.

* * * 

I had managed to sneak out of the monastery without being seen. Besides, most of the nuns were in the church this time of night, praying as they should be. The reverend would probably be helping those in the confirmation box. They couldn't possibly know where I was going, and they hardly ever checked on me.

By the time I had reached the main entrance of the church, on the steps, it was already eight o' clock. The neon emerald numbers glowed on my wrist watch. I walked along the rim of the steps and finally leaned against the left side of the door.

The night air felt to fresh tonight, there was a faint breeze, just enough to push my bangs aside. The sky was illuminated with sparkling white stars, and the moon shone overhead. I put my head against the door as I looked at the full moon, it was so beautiful.

"Dear sir, I might add that you are even more beautiful than the moon itself."

I looked down to see Sachi, wearing his crimson velvet coat with black leather pants and boots. He held out his fingerless-gloved hand towards me and beckoned me to come. His blue eyes shone underneath the wash of moonlight, his hair a calming red and his mouth was formed into a smile.

I skipped down the steps and stopped only a feet away from him, my feet still on the steps, making me only a bit taller than he was. I looked at his still-extended hand and put my own in his, bowing then walking down the remaining steps to become face to face with him.

"Are you ready to have some fun, my dear and lovely Duo?" He asked, tightening his grip on my hand. I couldn't help but look into his eyes, those blue eyes. It was if I was looking into the sky during a sunny day, it was if I was looking at the blue sea, always going, never-ending.

"I am ready for anything." I whispered, and then his smile widened and his grip on my hand tightened as he moved a step in front of me and turned.

"Then follow me!" He turned around again and he began to run, even if our hands were still locked together. I began running after him, my speed matching his. We ran through the almost-empty street like two young and hyper children.

We reached the town, which wasn't very far from where the church. There were more people there, the clubbers and those who were ready for the nighttime run. No cars sped through the road and no carriages were stationed. It was like the only thing that moved in the city now were the still awaken mortals.

Sachi's speed slowed down and I decreased my speed with his. He came to a complete stop in front of a small club in the far end of the street. Not many others passed by, the street seemed practically deserted where we were. I could heard the loud heavy music coming from the club, and I could smell alcohol in the air.

"The Moonlight Waltz, one of my favorite little places." Sachi turned towards me and winked. "I sure hope you know how to dance, because we're going to _dance!_"

"But I've never danced before!" I started to protest.

"Who cares? Just go inside, believe me, you'll do fine!" he again tightened his grip on my hand and dragged me to the entrance.

There stood a large man, twice my size, he was dark and had blond hair. His muscles showed under his muscle shirt and he looked down at us without moving his crossed arms. Sachi looked at him and nodded, the man then opened the door and let us in.

I was immediately hit with the loudness of the music. I took a step back but Sachi's hold on my hand didn't lessen. I couldn't even tell what the beat was, it just kept pumping on and on. Little by little, the beat became a motion, and I could finally feel the music course through my body.

"No dancing now, Duo! We need one more thing beforehand!" Sachi yelled loudly, but I heard him and nodded.

He led me through the crowd, women and men dancing and swaying their hips against me. Their movement seemed eerie in the continuously blinking lights. I didn't see other boys or girls our age though, but I didn't think of it much as I was being seated in front of a counter.

It took me a minute to realize that we were seated at a bad. Sachi was beside me, sitting on a stool like I was. He waved to the man and yelled something at him, I didn't hear what he had said, but I think he ordered something, because he placed two twenty dollar bills in the man's hand.

The other nodded and went back to make drinks, atleast I think so. The man came back a couple of minutes later with two small glasses containing a fizzing pinkish liquid. I looked at Sachi and he motioned for me to drink it.

I hesitated at first, but I took the glass in my hand and gulped it down in one drink. Sachi did the same just as I finished. The liquid burned my throat as it went down, and I grimaced as I finished. There was no effect for a while, but then it hit me. My vision began to blur and I felt my head become lighter, everything was swirling in a blur of color and lights.

My hand was being tugged by Sachi, he pulled me into crowd of dancing animals, or were they humans? I found it difficult to stay on my feet, and I sometimes bumped into something. I kept stumbling over and over again until I saw that we had stopped.

Sachi looked at me with a grin plastered on his face, his eyes showed that he too wasn't sober. He came close to me, stumbling. Then he yelled in my ear; "Feel the motion, feel your body!"

I did as he said. The beat, the motion of music. The vibration coursed through my body and I let my body go with the flow. I hips began sway and then my torso bended itself with the vibration of the music. Sachi too danced as I danced, and both of us began to dance blindly.

We danced and danced. I don't know if we ever stopped. I yelled over the music at Sachi. "This is the best time I've ever..."

I was about to finish, but all I saw was black, and I fell to the ground.

* * *    
"Come on, Duo, wake up!" Cold fingers pinched my cheeks and I began to groan.

"Huh? Sachi... ? What? Where... ?" I mumbled and slowly opened my eyes.

"Duo, you passed out on the dance floor." Sachi laughed and I saw that he was holding me in his arms. His right arm was on my back and I was sitting on his knees. "I though you could take the alcohol. I guess you'll get used to it next time."

My eyes opened and I saw that it was close to morning, the sun was creeping in on the horizon and a faint light glowed on the house tops. We were just outside the club, the music had stopped and I couldn't see anyone around us.

"Yeah... next time..." I hoisted myself so I was face to face with Sachi, although still on his knees.

Sachi lifted his hand and pinched my nose. "You know you liked it! How about the night after tomorrow? I think you'll need some time to recover, right? You're such a cutie when you're unconscious!"

"Hey... quit teasing. After tomorrow? Whoa... maybe I'll think about it..." I grabbed my head, it felt as if it would burst. The blood was pounding against my skull. I looked up to see Sachi pouting. "What?'

"But I wanted you to come back with me..." He grimaced and continued. "Is there any way I could help you make your decision? Any way at all?"

"Uh..." I began, but Sachi began to descend against me, and then his lips brushed against mine, and then he covered my mouth with his. His lips did truly feel like silk, and even though his mouth tasted like alcohol, I could still distinguish a sweet taste.

His tongue entered my mouth and began to play with mine, for a moment I did nothing, but then I began to play with his, and his hands reached behind my back so that he could press his mouth harder against mine. Saliva began to drip down my chin and that was when Sachi let go of me, still holding my back with his arms.

"Well?" He asked, a playful grin appeared on his face as he swiped away the saliva from his chin.

I did th same, drying my chin, then I looked up at him. "Wow..."

"I'll take that as a yes." He put one finger on my chin and then on my nose. "Well, it's almost morning, so I guess we should go, wouldn't you agree?"

"I guess." I smiled and got up, the blood rushing to my head as I found my balance. Sachi got up behind me, putting both hands on my shoulders.

"Now, I'll bring you back to the monastery, okay? I'm assuming you didn't tell them where you went, did you?" I nodded that I didn't, and he once again put his finger on my nose. Seemed like he liked to do that. "Good boy."

We walked until we reached the monastery. Strange, I didn't notice how far it had been the night before. It didn't really matter. Sachi walked next to me, he held my braid in his hands behind his back as we walked along.

Once we arrived in front of the church, the sun was now beginning to creep into the sky, and the bright orange rays blinded me so that I had to put a hand in front of my face.

"See you in two nights?" Sachi asked, taking my hand in his and then slowly bending to give it a kiss. I also bowed and then lifted him up with my hand.

"Of course." And as I said those words Sachi bended and gave me a quick kiss on the lips, not like the one I had had earlier. I kissed back before he pulled away, and then our hands left and he backed away.

"Then farewell, my white knight!" He grinned and skipped away. I looked back at him until I could see him no more, he had gone towards the same direction as the carriage had gone that morning.

It had only been a night, but it felt as if it had been a thousand nights. Never in my life had one day or night ever matched what had happened during the night. I knew this night would be forever engraved in my memory.

I looked one last time towards the town, and then I began to walk towards the monastery. It wasn't very far from the church, actually, it was right next door. The building itself didn't have anything special that one would notice, it was just a building with windows, nothing more.

Making sure no one was awake, and I highly doubted it, I crept inside the building. The door was a bit heavy, but I opened and closed it without making a sound. I walked along the bare hallway tip-toeing until I reached my room.

My bed was as it had been when I had left, nothing had changed. I quickly un-dressed myself and hid the clothes under my bed, and then I slipped into bed wearing nothing more than a pair of undergarments. My head ached, but I knew I had enjoyed the night, and nothing could make me change my mind.

Hours passed and I found slumber. Although it was almost too late. The clock on the wall showed that it was nine in the morning, which was rather late. No matter, now I could sleep and think of that wonderful Sachi, and how much fun we would have next time.

And the next time came, and the time after that, even. It continued for so long.

If only I would have known. But if's would never have stopped it.

I was chosen ever since that very first night.   
  
  
  


**End of part 2******

*** * ***

**Author's note:** Yeah, I finally finished the chapter (about time, too) There isn't much in this chapter though. I'll explain more in the next one. Maybe I'll add one more part, making it four parts instead of five, I don't know yet.

Some people have asked why the scenery is of eighteenth century France, and the time is around the millennium, it's because I originally wanted it to be that way. (I absolutely love those time of France) Am I making any sense here?

Well, I guess that's all I had to say. Please review! (I love reviews! And when Cessy is happy she writes faster! Meaning chapters come out faster!) 


	8. Asking for one more night...

WM5-4

**Witnessing Moon**   
**Chapter 5: part 3**   
**Story by: Cessy Angel**

  
  


"No one had ever suspected that I had been gone that night. And so I continued going out with Sachi, it began every two days, and soon enough it was every night. Sachi and I became like brothers, although our love would make it a taboo. Our love grew every night and every day. I couldn't go one day without seeing him, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling when he said that he loved me. 

The nights at the club were always the same. We would run through the streets until we reached the Moonlight Waltz, and then we would buy the most expensive drinks there was (all of which Sachi paid for, because I had no money that I could spare) and we would dance until the early hours of the morning. Sometimes I did pass out while dancing, but other times we would walk back to the monastery, drunk, and talking gibberish. 

Although one night the conversation afterwards changed somewhat. My watch showed that it was indeed close to four in the morning. I think my body began to come immune against the effects of alcohol, because I felt perfectly awake. Sachi I knew was accustomed to te alcohol, because he had been and still was always the sober one. 

Sachi's arm was around my waist and I leaned on him just a bit, he felt to warm, his skin, his clothes. We were walking in the almost deserted streets, only the wind breezed around us. I always felt safe when I was with Sachi, I didn't know how to explain it, I just did. 

He was no longer the big brother I had wanted so much to have, but my lover. The one whom I would share my every secret, my every desire with. Sometimes we would show our love physically, kissing and hugging ourselves until we couldn't stand no more. But we never did have sex, the subject just never came up. 

I would have walked forever like this. It felt so right. We walked until we were in front of the church, and then we stopped. There were still another three hours before I would need to sneak back inside. So we sat down on a large rock facing the church, my head laid on Sachi's shoulder, and his arm around my waist. 

"Duo... why don't you come stay with me?" Sachi's voice broke the silence. The question took me by surprise, it just came out of no where. 

"But, what about your mother?" I asked. I had indeed not heard much about her. 

"My mother's been dead since I was six... you mean the lady who was at church with me last time? She was my aunt. She came to see me, like she does every four months. Except that, I'm usually always alone. It'd be great if I had someone to share the house with..." He snuggled closer to me, burying his face in my shoulder. 

"But... what about the monastery...?" Even if I usually did sometimes ignore my life there, I still loved reverend Dubois like a father, and the nuns were my sisters. What would they think if I told them I'd leave them to live someone else, my lover in which I had been secretly going out with for almost a year? 

"You'd rather stay with them instead of living with me?" He asked. I felt as if I hurt him, badly. 

"It's not that... only..." 

"The House of God. Heh, I guess it'd be difficult to leave that, considering you'd rather believe in the God of Death instead of the one who creates life." He laughed quietly to himself, then he ran his finger along my nose. "My little God of Death... my Shinigami." 

"No! I do believe in Him. Wait, what does God have to do with our relationship?" Silence followed my words, and I saw that Sachi was looking at the church, almost in a dreaming state. "Sachi... are you feeling okay?" 

"Oh, yes, I do." He turned towards me. "You don't know. It as even because of Him that we met in the church, that very day a year ago. It's not a question of believing or not believing, you see. I don't know... don't think of me that way." 

I began to feel a little uncomfortable, but it passed. In the silence of the night we kissed each other until the glowing numbers of the watch showed that it was well close to five in the morning. We said our goodbyes and parted. 

I was still sitting on the bench when he left. I didn't feel like moving much. Rain started spilling from the sky, even though I had not earlier noticed that the clouds turned grey. Water soaked me head to toe, my hair streaked along my face, but it felt good. 

_ My dear Shinigami..._

That voice! I bolted upright and looked around. No one was there, but the voice had sounded so near. A chill ran down my spine, and it wasn't because it was cold outside either. I made the decision to enter the monastery, surely it was a dream. 

If only it had been a dream... 

* * * 

  
  


"Duo...? Are you awake Duo?" 

I turned around in the bed and mumbled a few incomprehensible words. A cold breeze passed over me, and I buried myself in the warm blankets that I was sleeping in. But there was something else too... I did feel warm, more than I should have. 

A fever had broken upon me, and it took me a while to realize it. A nun had entered my room and was now taking my temperature. It was my favorite nun, Sister Helen. I'd even say that she and I were the best of friends. 

"Duo... where have you been going lately? You're temperature is very high." She laughed a little, while she was sitting on the other side of the bed. "Have you been dancing in the rain?" 

I coughed lightly. "Maybe." 

She sighed and looked back at me. "Really, Duo, you should pay more attention to your health. You shouldn't... you shouldn't spend all night in the clubs, drinking and dancing..." 

I turned towards her, wide eyed. How had she known, how could she have known? "But... how... how did you know?" 

Her face became gently, and she brushed the hair away from my face with her hand. "Oh Duo, I know. I saw you one night leaving the monastery, were you with that boy Sachi? I think it was him. I stayed up all night, and then I saw you return in the early morning, you and him were arm in arm. Both of you seemed drunk... and I saw you kiss him before coming back inside..." 

My heart ceased beating for a moment. In truth, to be part of the church you were forbidden to fall in love, and with a person of the same sex was completely out of the question. In those times... falling in love with someone of the same sex would for certain get you cast out from the public, people though it was wrong. 

"I... I... I'm sorry, Sister Helen, I didn't want you to know, especially not you. But I love Sachi, I love him more than anything else. He's every breath I take, every step I walk, he's every beat of my heart." I stopped. 

"Did... did you think I wouldn't fall in love? Oh, Sister Helen, I'm too young! I need to love, don't you see? Have you ever fell in love? Do you know how it feels?" 

I know I shouldn't have asked that. I felt as if I hurt her, because a frown appeared on her face. I coughed again and took her hand in mine. I brought my face close to hers and closed my eyes, then I opened them again just to come into contact with her glittering dark brown orbs. 

"Duo... " Her eyes seemed to shimmer even more, but I knew it wasn't only her eyes, it was the tears that had begun to collect in them. "People love. Everyone loves. Both reverend Dubois and I knew that you'd fall in love. But we just didn't expect it, you see." 

A tear fell down her cheek. "Yes, Duo, I love. I love, more than anything else, I love. But my love and your love is different. You love Sachi, and he loves you. I love God and all the people in this monastery, I love the trees and the animals living in the forests. I love everything. But there isn't anyone I love, just everything." 

She loves everything... yet she cannot love another. "Oh, Helen..." I frowned and my vision began to blur. I leaned closer to her and hugged her gently, putting both of my arms behind her back. "I love you too, Helen, it's just... it's just not the same as the love I have for Sachi..." 

"I understand..." She whispered. "I'll miss you... my Duo..." 

* * * 

I didn't go out for three nights. I just stayed in my locket room, covered by the many covers. My health wasn't doing so very good either. It seemed that I had caught a virus that had been going along the village. Although it wasn't always deadly, there were still chances. 

My throat was so sore, I coughed continually, sometimes I would even cough up blood, wiping it away with a towel that was next to my bed. My body was stiff and I had lost almost all color, becoming white as a sheet. I always felt warm, whatever I did, I always felt warm. 

A coughing fit took over me again, my hand shakily reached for the glass of what that was on the desk next to my bed. I took and few sips and sat up in bed. I kept the glass in my hands and took a sip here and there, although my hand was shaking so much I would sometimes spill some water on the sheets. 

I wished I could of gone outside. The sun shone brightly into my room, the rays making me warmer than I already was. I leaned back against my pillow and looked at the sky, the clear blue color reminded me of Sachi's eyes, so beautiful... 

Sachi... 

Sachi... 

My heart ached to see him, but even I didn't know where he lived. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know very much about Sachi. He never spoke of himself. He never spoke of his past. And yet... I felt as if I understood him. My love for him was so strong... 

I sighed and closed my eyes. The breeze from the open window refreshed me. I began to breathe slowly, taking my time. I think I would have fallen asleep. 

Suddenly I felt the brush of someone else's lips press upon mine. The sweet taste of honey entered my mouth at the same time as his tongue reached for mine. I opened my eyes only to see Sachi's closed one, a somewhat innocent look on his face. 

His mouth left mine and I sighed with annoyance. A grin appeared on his face and he put both of his elbows on each side of me. He was sitting of his fours on top of me, his knees on each side as well. He then placed his head on his hands and puckered his lips. 

"Aw, is my Duo-chan not feeling well?" he said. He then pouted and continued. "I missed you." 

I suddenly felt a bit better. I forced a smile and said weakly "Yeah... I missed you too..." 

He took his hand to my forehead and frowned. "You've got a high temperature. Did you hear of the virus that had been going through town? I've heard it's pretty bad. A lot of people have died from it..." 

Sachi suddenly looked distant. I brought my arms behind his back and smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm gonna be alright, a Shinigami can't die, can he?" 

"My Shinigami. You've always been so strong. I told you not to stay in the rain, you baka." He forced himself to smile, even though he looked worried, I could see it in his eyes. My mouth mumbled something, and I brought my arms lower, bringing him so that his body would press against mine. 

His head leaned against my shoulder, and he whispered my name in my ear. His legs came apart and I felt his organ press against mine, hardening. I gasped and brought him closer. There was a blanket between us, although Sachi was dressed in a blue velvet and golden coat with black pants and knee-high boots. 

I moved myself a little, having his weight against mine excited me. I wanted to take him with me, and I had always thought he would be the one to bring me with him. His arms wrapped behind my back and he nuzzled himself in my collarbone, I could feel his breath tickle my exposed skin. I giggled lightly every time he did so. I leaned my head against mine, and in that moment I wanted to be with him forever. 

"Did I ever tell you that I loved you with all my heart and soul?" 

"Yes, many, many times. But it always feels like you say it for the first time every time." 

"Okay then..." Sachi sighed happily. "I love you with all my heart and soul. Will you promise me that you'll always be with me? To be the one who will hold me in your embrace until the day were we must part this world? Forever, forever and forever?" 

I closed my eyes and smiled. "And I love you with everything I have, soul, mind, heart. As long as I can open my eyes only to see and feel you living besides me in life. And yes, I promise you everything. Yes, yes and yes. Until the end of my life. Until the end of the universe." 

And we stayed like that, hours seemed to pass but only minutes had in reality. It was as if time has been suspended, and only for us. Us and only us, no one else. As if we were special in someone's eyes, and that we were given to chance to feel this moment for a lifetime. 

If only that was so. 

If only... 

If only I hadn't said "yes" afterwards... 

* * * 

**Author's note:** Okay, I lied. I thought this chapter would be the last, but it ended up that the part, without being cut in half, would have been HUGE. So I'm cutting it in half. Now, just to warn you guys, the next chapter WILL contain human sacrifice, violence and torture. (Hey, I worked hard on that part :P) 

Sooo... if you don't like that kind of stuff, might as well wait for the chapter after that. I'm even gonna put the rating higher. Well, this IS a vampire fic. What did you want me to write? "And the pretty little unicorn gave Duo immortality." Woooow... -_-;; 

Please don't forget to review! 


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